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Nitrogen and oxygen-donor ligands comprised of alkylimidazoles, tertiary amides, and diglycolamides were employed to form transition metal chelates in the preparation of twelve magnetic ionic liquids. Viscosities as low as 198 cP were achieved.
N-doped carbon/FeCoCu catalysts exhibit excellent ORR performance, demonstrating outstanding rechargeability in Zn–air batteries. DFT calculations reveal enhanced conductivity and a favorable surface electronic structure for oxygen reactions.
Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 requires scalable and durable CO 2 capture solutions, with direct air capture (DAC) gaining increasing prominence. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as promising candidates due to their strong chemisorptive properties, but their liquid-phase nature limits integration into solid systems. In this study, we introduce a solid–liquid hybrid approach by immobilizing [TEAB][TEPA] 2 , a highly CO 2 -reactive DES, onto various supports via non-covalent immobilization. This strategy induces solid-like behavior while retaining molecular-level reactivity of the DES. Among the supports including ZIF-8, zeolite Y, zirconia, and alumina, the [TEAB][TEPA] 2 @ZIF-8-56% composite demonstrated promising CO 2 uptake capacity of 2.00 mmol g −1 adsorbent at 1 bar, 1.48 at 0.15 bar, 0.96 at 0.01 bar, and 0.59 at 0.4 mbar. Particularly, we can observe that the chemisorption capacity under 400 ppm conditions is successfully introduced into ZIF-8, whereas pristine ZIF-8 showed negligible uptake under these same conditions. Breakthrough experiments confirmed robust capture behavior under humid conditions. The composite exhibited excellent cycling stability over 100 capture-release cycles, supported by thermogravimetric analysis. In situ DRIFTS verified that the chemisorptive nature of the DES remained intact after immobilization. Additional characterization studies, including FTIR, PXRD, N 2 physisorption, and XPS depth profiling, revealed partial DES infiltration and strong interfacial interactions. Comparative results using alumina-based composites underscored the importance of microporosity in stability. Finally, these findings suggest that DES-MOF composites hold promise as carbon capture materials, bridging liquid-phase functionality and solid-state robustness.
Ultra low energy ion implantation is a promising technique for the wafer-scale fabrication of Silver nanoparticle planar arrays embedded in thermal silica on silicon substrate. The stability versus time of these nanoparticles is studied at ambient conditions on a time scale of months. The plasmonic signature of Ag NPs vanishes several months after implantation for as-implanted samples, while samples annealed at intermediate temperature under N{sub 2} remain stable. XPS and HREM analysis evidence the presence of Silver oxide nanoparticles on aged samples and pure Silver nanoparticles on the annealed ones. This thermal treatment does not modify the size-distribution or position of the particles but is very efficient in stabilizing the metallic particles and to prevent any form of oxidation.
Irradiation at 239 {+-} 20 nm of a p-H{sub 2} matrix containing methoxysulfinyl chloride, CH{sub 3}OS(O)Cl, at 3.2 K with filtered light from a medium-pressure mercury lamp produced infrared (IR) absorption lines at 3028.4 (attributable to {nu}{sub 1}, CH{sub 2} antisymmetric stretching), 2999.5 ({nu}{sub 2}, CH{sub 3} antisymmetric stretching), 2950.4 ({nu}{sub 3}, CH{sub 3} symmetric stretching), 1465.2 ({nu}{sub 4}, CH{sub 2} scissoring), 1452.0 ({nu}{sub 5}, CH{sub 3} deformation), 1417.8 ({nu}{sub 6}, CH{sub 3} umbrella), 1165.2 ({nu}{sub 7}, CH{sub 3} wagging), 1152.1 ({nu}{sub 8}, S=O stretching mixed with CH{sub 3} rocking), 1147.8 ({nu}{sub 9}, S=O stretching mixed with CH{sub 3} wagging), 989.7 ({nu}{sub 10}, C-O stretching), and 714.5 cm{sup -1} ({nu}{sub 11}, S-O stretching) modes of syn-CH{sub 3}OSO. When CD{sub 3}OS(O)Cl in a p-H{sub 2} matrix was used, lines at 2275.9 ({nu}{sub 1}), 2251.9 ({nu}{sub 2}), 2083.3 ({nu}{sub 3}), 1070.3 ({nu}{sub 4}), 1056.0 ({nu}{sub 5}), 1085.5 ({nu}{sub 6}), 1159.7 ({nu}{sub 7}), 920.1 ({nu}{sub 8}), 889.0 ({nu}{sub 9}), 976.9 ({nu}{sub 10}), and 688.9 ({nu}{sub 11}) cm{sup -1} appeared and are assigned to syn-CD{sub 3}OSO; the mode numbers correspond to those used for syn-CH{sub 3}OSO. The assignments are based on the photolytic behavior and a comparison of observed vibrational wavenumbers, infrared intensities, and deuterium isotopic shifts with those predicted with the B3P86/aug-cc-pVTZ method. Our results extend the previously reported four transient IR absorption bands of gaseous syn-CH{sub 3}OSO near 2991, 2956, 1152, and 994 cm{sup -1} to 11 lines, including those associated with C-O, O-S, and S=O stretching modes. Vibrational wavenumbers of syn-CD{sub 3}OSO are new. These results demonstrate the advantage of a diminished cage effect of solid p-H{sub 2} such that the Cl atom, produced via UV photodissociation of CH{sub 3}OS(O)Cl in situ, might escape from the original cage to yield isolated CH{sub 3}OSO radicals.
We report on a method for the determination of ion track radii, formed in amorphous materials by ion-beam irradiation. The method is based on the addition to an amorphous matrix of a small amount of foreign atoms, which easily diffuse and form clusters when the temperature is sufficiently increased. The irradiation causes clustering of these atoms, and the final separations of the formed clusters are dependent on the parameters of the ion-beam. Comparison of the separations between the clusters that are formed by ions with different properties in the same type of material enables the determination of ion-track radii.
We investigate the problem of the existence of a density matrix {rho}{sub 123} on a Hilbert space H{sub 1} Circled-Times H{sub 2} Circled-Times H{sub 3} with given partial traces {rho}{sub 12}= Tr{sub 3} {rho}{sub 123} and {rho}{sub 23}= Tr{sub 1} {rho}{sub 123}. While we do not solve this problem completely, we offer partial results in the form of some necessary and some sufficient conditions on {rho}{sub 12} and {rho}{sub 23}. The quantum case differs markedly from the classical (commutative) case, where the obvious necessary compatibility condition suffices, namely, Tr{sub 1} {rho}{sub 12}= Tr{sub 3}{rho}{sub 23}.
Simulating molecular dynamics directly on quantum chemically obtained potential energy surfaces is generally time consuming. The cost becomes overwhelming especially when excited state dynamics is aimed with multiple electronic states. The interpolated potential has been suggested as a remedy for the cost issue in various simulation settings ranging from fast gas phase reactions of small molecules to relatively slow condensed phase dynamics with complex surrounding. Here, we present a scheme for interpolating multiple electronic surfaces of a relatively large molecule, with an intention of applying it to studying nonadiabatic behaviors. The scheme starts with adiabatic potential information and its diabatic transformation, both of which can be readily obtained, in principle, with quantum chemical calculations. The adiabatic energies and their derivatives on each interpolation center are combined with the derivative coupling vectors to generate the corresponding diabatic Hamiltonian and its derivatives, and they are subsequently adopted in producing a globally defined diabatic Hamiltonian function. As a demonstration, we employ the scheme to build an interpolated Hamiltonian of a relatively large chromophore, para-hydroxybenzylidene imidazolinone, in reference to its all-atom analytical surface model. We show that the interpolation is indeed reliable enough to reproduce important features of the reference surface model, such as its adiabatic energies and derivative couplings. In addition, nonadiabatic surface hopping simulations with interpolation yield population transfer dynamics that is well in accord with the result generated with the reference analytic surface. With these, we conclude by suggesting that the interpolation of diabatic Hamiltonians will be applicable for studying nonadiabatic behaviors of sizeable molecules.
Series of compositions with general stoichiometry as Ca{sub 1−x}Zr{sub 1−x}RE{sub 2x}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} (RE = Nd{sup 3+}, Sm{sup 3+}) were prepared by solid state reaction and characterized by powder x-ray diffraction technique to unravel the phase fields in the title systems. The phase fields in CaZrTi{sub 2}O{sub 7−}Nd{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} and CaZrTi{sub 2}O{sub 7−}Sm{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} systems differed significantly at the rareearth rich regions. The common phase fields like zirconolite-2M, zirconolite-4M, cubic perovskite are observed at the zirconolite rich regions of both systems. Depending on the structure of RE{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} phase, the cubic pyrochlore or monoclinic RE{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7} phases are observed in the studied system. The observed phase fields in these two systems indicate ionic radius of the rare-earth ion has a dominating role in the phase relations. Further details of the phases and their homogeneity are explained in the text of the manuscript.
Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were deposited on the surface of n- and p-type organic semiconductors to form defined model systems for charge storage based electrically addressable memory elements. We used ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy to study the electronic properties and found that the Au-NPs become positively charged because of photoelectron emission, evidenced by spectral shifts to higher binding energy. Upon illumination with light that can be absorbed by the organic semiconductors, dynamic charge neutrality of the Au-NPs could be re-established through electron transfer from excitons. The light-controlled charge state of the Au-NPs could add optical addressability to memory elements.
We study the operation of an 8.5 μm quantum cascade laser based on GaInAs/AlInAs lattice matched to InP using three different simulation models based on density matrix (DM) and non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formulations. The latter advanced scheme serves as a validation for the simpler DM schemes and, at the same time, provides additional insight, such as the temperatures of the sub-band carrier distributions. We find that for the particular quantum cascade laser studied here, the behavior is well described by simple quantum mechanical estimates based on Fermi's golden rule. As a consequence, the DM model, which includes second order currents, agrees well with the NEGF results. Both these simulations are in accordance with previously reported data and a second regrown device.
In this contribution, we report two different methodologies for characterizing the electronic structure reorganization occurring when a chromophore undergoes an electronic transition. For the first method, we start by setting the theoretical background necessary to the reinterpretation through simple tensor analysis of (i) the transition density matrix and (ii) the natural transition orbitals in the scope of reduced density matrix theory. This novel interpretation is made more clear thanks to a short compendium of the one-particle reduced density matrix theory in a Fock space. The formalism is further applied to two different classes of excited states calculation methods, both requiring a single-determinant reference, that express an excited state as a hole-particle mono-excited configurations expansion, to which particle-hole correlation is coupled (time-dependent Hartree-Fock/time-dependent density functional theory) or not (configuration interaction single/Tamm-Dancoff approximation). For the second methodology presented in this paper, we introduce a novel and complementary concept related to electronic transitions with the canonical transition density matrix and the canonical transition orbitals. Their expression actually reflects the electronic cloud polarisation in the orbital space with a decomposition based on the actual contribution of one-particle excitations from occupied canonical orbitals to virtual ones. This approach validates our novel interpretation of the transition density matrix elements in terms of the Euclidean norm of elementary transition vectors in a linear tensor space. A proper use of these new concepts leads to the conclusion that despite the different principles underlying their construction, they provide two equivalent excited states topological analyses. This connexion is evidenced through simple illustrations of (in)organic dyes electronic transitions analysis.
We describe a practical algorithm for constructing the Kohn–Sham exchange-correlation potential corresponding to a given second-order reduced density matrix. Unlike conventional Kohn–Sham inversion methods in which such potentials are extracted from ground-state electron densities, the proposed technique delivers unambiguous results in finite basis sets. The approach can also be used to separate approximately the exchange and correlation potentials for a many-electron system for which the reduced density matrix is known. The algorithm is implemented for configuration-interaction wave functions and its performance is illustrated with numerical examples.
Isolation of the heavier alkaline earth metals Ba and Sr in the solid rare gases (RGs) Ar, Kr, and Xe is analysed with absorption spectroscopy and interpreted partly with the assistance of ab initio calculations of the diatomic M ⋅ RG ground state interaction potentials. The y{sup 1}P←a{sup 1}S resonance transitions in the visible spectral region are used to compare the isolation conditions of these two metal atom systems and calcium. Complex absorption bands were recorded in all three metal atom systems even after extensive sample annealing. Coupled cluster calculations conducted on the ground states of the nine M ⋅ RG diatomics (M = Ca, Sr, and Ba; RG = Ar, Kr, and Xe) at the coupled cluster single, double, and non-iterative triple level of theory revealed long bond lengths (>5 Å) and shallow bound regions (<130 cm{sup −1}). All of the M ⋅ RG diatomics have bond lengths considerably longer than those of the rare gas dimers, with the consequence that isolation of these metal atoms in a single substitutional site of the solid rare gas is unlikely, with the possible exception of Ca/Xe. The luminescence of metal dimer bands has been recorded for Ba and Sr revealing very different behaviours. Resonance fluorescence with a lifetime of 15 ns is observed for the lowest energy transition of Sr{sub 2} while this transition is quenched in Ba{sub 2}. This behaviour is consistent with the absence of vibrational structure on the dimer absorption band in Ba{sub 2} indicating lifetime broadening arising from efficient relaxation to low-lying molecular states. More extensive 2D excitation-emission data recorded for the complex site structures present on the absorption bands of the atomic Ba and Sr systems will be presented in future publications.
Standard implementations of nonrelativistic excited-state calculations compute only one component of spin multiplets (i.e., Ms = 0 triplets); however, matrix elements for all components are necessary for deriving spin-dependent experimental observables. Wigner–Eckart’s theorem allows one to circumvent explicit calculations of all multiplet components. We generate all other spin–orbit matrix elements by applying Wigner–Eckart’s theorem to a reduced one-particle transition density matrix computed for a single multiplet component. In addition to computational efficiency, this approach also resolves the phase issue arising within Born–Oppenheimer’s separation of nuclear and electronic degrees of freedom. A general formalism and its application to the calculation of spin–orbit couplings using equation-of-motion coupled-cluster wave functions are presented. The two-electron contributions are included via the mean-field spin–orbit treatment. Intrinsic issues of constructing spin–orbit mean-field operators for open-shell references are discussed, and a resolution is proposed. The method is benchmarked by using several radicals and diradicals. The merits of the approach are illustrated by a calculation of the barrier for spin inversion in a high-spin tris(pyrrolylmethyl)amine Fe(II) complex.
Recently, it was shown that the calculation of quasiparticle energies using the G 0 W 0 approximation can be performed without computing explicitly any virtual electronic states, by expanding the Green function and screened Coulomb interaction in terms of the eigenstates of the static dielectric matrix. Avoiding the evaluation of virtual electronic states leads to improved efficiency and ease of convergence of G 0 W 0 calculations. Here, we propose a further improvement of the efficiency of these calculations, based on an approximation of density-density response functions of molecules and solids. The approximation relies on the calculation of a subset of eigenvectors of the dielectric matrix using the kinetic operator instead of the full Hamiltonian, and it does not lead to any substantial loss of accuracy for the quasiparticle energies. The computational savings introduced by this approximation depend on the system, and they become more substantial as the number of electrons increases.
Here we present the formalism and implementation for calculations of spin–orbit couplings (SOCs) using the Breit–Pauli Hamiltonian and non-relativistic wave functions described by the restricted active space configuration interaction (RASCI) method with general excitation operators of spin-conserving spin-flipping, ionizing, and electron-attaching types. The implementation is based on the application of the Wigner–Eckart theorem within the spin space, which enables the calculation of the entire SOC matrix based on the explicit calculation of just one transition between the two spin multiplets. Numeric results for a diverse set of atoms and molecules highlight the importance of a balanced treatment of correlation and adequate basis sets and illustrate the overall robust performance of RASCI SOCs. The new implementation is a useful addition to the methodological toolkit for studying spin-forbidden processes and molecular magnetism.
The process of manufacturing a matrix-gel biochip is modelled by means of laser fused deposition of a layer of polymer microparticles, containing a sensitive peptide element, onto a glass substrate. The limits of acceptable ranges and the optimal values of laser parameters, at which the melting of the polymer coating occurs without damaging the sensitive elements of the biochip, are theoretically determined. The results of the experiments on laser fused deposition of a layer of microparticles having the size 3 – 4 μm confirm the conservation of the functions of the biological complexes at optimal irradiation regimes. The parameters of the laser impact affecting the possible minimal separation between the zones of laser fused deposition are investigated. The essential role of heat conductivity and thermoplasticity of the polymer in increasing the size of the melted droplet is demonstrated. Using the laser radiation with the wavelength 532 nm focused into a spot with the diameter 6 μm (the laser pulse duration being 10 ms) the laser fused deposition density of 110000 spots per 1 cm{sup 2} is achieved. The maximal estimated density of laser fused deposition for the studied system amounts to 250000 spots per 1 cm{sup 2}. (biophotonics)